City Council

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org . Meeting Minutes Monday, April 28, 2025 6:30 PM Council Chambers City Council City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 I. Call to Order Mayor Lance Westcamp called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Staff Present: BJ King - Administrator, Kevin Shannon - Law Director, Jason Carr - Director of Finance, Casey Adams - Chief of Police, Michael Loges - Development Director, Brian Strayer - Public Services Director, Seth Bower, Recreation Director, Steve Farst - City Engineer, Mike Poirier - Chief Building Official, Tom Walker - Director of Golf, Mindy Kay - Clerk of Council Guests Present: The Guest Book is on file with the Clerk of Council. II. Moment of Silence The Mayor asked everyone to join him in a moment of silence. III. Pledge of Allegiance Chief Adams led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. Roll Call Present: 7 - Edward Dildine, Edward Dildine, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett, Jack Rupp, Jean Ann Hilbert, and Shawn Cleary V. Approval of Minutes The April 14, 2025 City Council Minutes stand approved as submitted. #089-2025 April 14, 2025 City Council Meeting Minutes Attachments: 2025.04.14 City Council Meeting Minutes.pdf VI. Business of Guests A. Paul Clark - Paddock Pub Paddock Pub owner Paul Clark greeted Council and spoke about the patio furniture and carpeting at the Pub. He said when he purchased the pub in 2020 the City had provided a number of items, including all of the restaurant furniture, tables and chairs. He listed the equipment that, per the lease agreement, will be provided by the City of Groveport, as well as any existing equipment that he is permitted to use. He said the lease agreement also states that in the event the City equipment is no longer City of Groveport Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 functional, the City shall be responsible for necessary repairs or replacement. He referred back to the patio furniture that the City had previously provided and stated that in 2021 he was told that the furniture would not be brought back out after winter, as it was rusted. He said he was also told it was not in the City's budget to purchase new patio furniture at the time, and he then decided to purchase patio furniture himself. That furniture has lasted until this year. He explained that he had put a request in last year for there to be room in the City's budget to purchase new furniture this year, and the furniture has not yet been replaced. He said it is a tremendous hit on his business, as the missing patio furniture accounts for roughly 25% of the pub's seating capacity. He requested the City replace the patio furniture, and moved on to describe how the carpet tiles inside the restaurant are in need of replacement as well. He reported incidents where his patrons had tripped and fell over the loose carpet tiles and expressed how instead of doing this year's scheduled carpet cleaning, the money could be better spend on replacing the carpet altogether. He then mentioned a recent restroom cleaning charge which to his understanding from the lease agreement is supposed to be split 50/50 between himself and the City. He spoke about how his rent is based on 7% of his sales, in comparison to other businesses leased with the City who have set rent amounts. He also expressed his displeasure over the increases to his rent in comparison to those businesses. He said that it is very difficult for him to try to grow his business with all of the challenges he has had. He spoke about how he supports the golf course and how they bring business in to each other. He said he believes the pub is an integral part of the community, and the better the pub does, the better the City does. Mr. King asked Mr. Clark to mention the things the City has done and the money the City has invested in the pub. Mr. Clark listed various equipment the City has purchased. Council, staff, and Mr. Clark discussed repairs and work done at the pub. They also spoke at length about the finances and lease agreement between the pub and the City. B. Wirt Road Update City Engineer Steve Farst presented a progress plan for the intersection of Main street and Wirt road. He gave details of updates and improvements to the electric, sewer, crosswalks, parking, and the realignment of Wirt road to a direct intersection with Main street and Front street. He went over lane changes, modifications to pavement and curbside parking, lengthening the turn radius at the intersection, bumpouts, and handicap parking. Public Services Director Brian Strayer reported on structural and drainage improvements to be made to the Town Hall building, as well as the brickwork on the bumpouts. He said a lot of the bricks are work down or cracking, and suggested switching to concrete with a brick stamp pattern. Mrs. Hilbert and Mr. Dildine agreed City of Groveport Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 that concrete would be a good choice. Mr. Farst stressed the importance of continuity and persevering the City's history. He said whatever material we decide, it should be similar on all four corners of the intersection. He mentioned that the concrete staining wares off over time. Mr. Farst moved on to address updates to underground utilities, street lighting, and traffic signal equipment. He said we are in the midst of engineering design and he would expect to have a sewer plan approved from Columbus by early June. We will then seek a PTI, which could take several weeks from the Ohio EPA. The plans for water, storm, lighting, parking, and streets should be done near the first of July. We should be able to start the bid process right after the fourth of July, with construction starting in September. He said this project should run until next September, perhaps even October. Development Director Michael Loges touched on how the City is planning to phase the work on the parking lot to try to minimize any hindrance to local businesses the construction might cause. He said the City wants to host an open house with some of the businesses affected on the south side of Main street, as well as the staff who operate KidSpace in the Rarey's port building. He expressed how it is a priority to ensure for customers to still be able to gain access to businesses during construction. Mr. Rupp inquired about detours and Mr. Farst explained that we are still in the early planning stages of routes and timings. Council and staff briefly discusses the safety and stability of the soil for construction. Mrs. Hilbert asked how many parking spaces we will have when construction is done. Mr. Farst said we currently have 63, and we will end up with 105 or more, plus the 90 spaces across the street. He then explained what to expect when the demolition of Floyd's Hotrods occurs. C. John Hougland Mr. Hougland stated his concern for the left turn lane into Delaney's. He said if you're going east, the traffic will back up and you've got no way to get through. Mr. Farst explained that there will be a dual two-way left turn lane, and referred to the plan showed on the screen for clarity. VII. Ordinances and Resolutions A. 3rd Readings Ord. 2024-062 AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A VARIANCE AS TO THE PERMITTED USES IN THE ESTABLISHED ZONING DISTRICT AND AN AREA VARIANCE FOR THE EAST BUFFER YARD FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6031 GROVEPORT ROAD, PARCEL NO. 185-000916, CURRENTLY ZONED COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (CC), AUTOZONE City of Groveport Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 DEVELOPMENT, LLC, APPLICANT. Sponsors: Hilbert Attachments: Ord. 2024-062 Exhibit A.pdf Ord. 2024-062 Exhibit B.pdf Ord. 2024-062 Exhibit C.pdf Ord. 2024-062 Exhibit D.pdf CASTO representative Eric Leibowitz spoke in regards to the proposed AutoZone use variance, as well as the relationship between CASTO and the City. He said the revised MOU is CASTO's commitment to the City and that they are eager to build a stronger foundation. He asked Council to not let any past mistakes weigh on their vote for this variance. He expressed how a disapproval of the variance would be a damaging shot to the shopping center and to the progress the City and CASTO have made in building their relationship. Mrs. Hilbert said she has no problem with AutoZone, however, she is dissatisfied with the design of the building because it does not reflect the aesthetic of the community. Mr. Leibowitz said he had conveyed her concerns to CASTO, and the feedback that he received stated the building design meets all the applicable code requirements. While the design specifics are subjective, the goal is to talk about the use variance. He said he is grateful for Council's feedback, but unfortunately, it is not his call. He further discussed the design with Council and gathered more of their feedback. He said ultimately, it's a very tough cost environment for materials. Mrs. Hilbert suggested tabling the ordinance for now so that CASTO could rework the design to fit their budget as well as Groveport's design aesthetic. Council further expressed their opinions on the matter. Mr. Lockett stated that we've been complaining about the vacancy in that shopping center for so long and this is a chance to do something positive, with the bigger picture being a revitalized shopping center and recognizing CASTO's efforts toward building a better relationship. He said if we do not approve the variance, it will turn into a downward spiral and get worse rather than better. Mr. Dildine agreed, but said there still has to be something CASTO can do about the design of the building. Mr. Leibowitz said it is possible to add conditions to the MOU but reminded Council that the clock is working against us. Attorney Joseph Miller stated AutoZone's gratitude for Council's time and the expertise of the City's staff. He reiterated that the design is code compliant and satisfies all the criteria for this use variance. He said we are all working toward the same goal of restored vitality to the shopping center and reminded Council of the substantial commitments outlined by CASTO in the MOU. He said there are a lot of positives here versus the negatives, and that if this variance is denied, CASTO would be forced to entertain much less desirable tenancies. City of Groveport Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to postpone to the May 12th City Council meeting. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary A motion was made by Council Member Cleary, seconded by Council Member Hilbert, to take a brief recess to discuss conditions. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Rupp, to come back in session. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary Mr. Leibowitz requested the ordinance be tabled to give CASTO and AutoZone time to discuss changes and conditions to the MOU with City staff. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to postpone to the May 12th City Council meeting. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary Ord. 2025-002 AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR THE RECREATION CENTER THEREBY AMENDING THE FEE SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN ORDINANCE NO. 2019-018 Sponsors: Hilbert Attachments: Ord. 2025-002 Exhibit A.pdf Finance Director Carr referred to the memo included in tonight's agenda packet and went over the average increase among all classifications of memberships. He said he is trying to paint a picture of what increases would look like for a two year period versus a three year period, and show an estimate of what the revenue changes would look like. He further highlighted points from the memo and addressed fears that we will lose memberships because of this increase. Recreation Director Seth Bower added that the membership categories were condensed from nine down to six, leading to three of those categories having a slightly higher increase. Mr. Dildine said he would prefer to see the increase over a City of Groveport Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 three year period and agrees that we need to get the revenue side up at the rec center. He said he still thinks we will lose members, but maybe we won't. Hopefully with marketing we bring new members in. M. Rupp said we're never going to make up what we subsidized, but we do need to make that effort to reduce it over time. Council and staff briefly continued discussion on the increase. Mr. Bower stated that the original amendment would put the increase in effect in September, and given that we are already nearing into May, he requested that the increase go into effect on January first. This would give time for us to notify people of the increase. Law Director Shannon made the recommendation for Council to consider making a motion to postpone to the My 12th Council meeting. to allow for amendments to the exhibit to be discussed. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to postpone to the May 12th City Council meeting. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary #090-2025 2025 Recreation Rate Increase Analysis Memo Attachments: 2025 Recreation Rate Increase Analysis Memo.pdf B. 2nd Readings Ord. 2025-018 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN THE ODOT WINTER CONTRACT FOR ROAD SALT AND THE DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY Sponsors: Dildine A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Hilbert, to suspend the rules as to the three readings and the effective date. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Hilbert, to adopt. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Dildine, Hutson, Lockett, Rupp, Hilbert and Cleary C. 1st Readings Res. 2025-003 A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE OFFICIAL INTENT AND REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE BORROWER) FOR THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE City of Groveport Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 CC01AB/CC02AB, PORT ROAD PHASE II PROJECT WITH THE PROCEEDS OF TAX EXEMPT DEBT OF THE STATE OF OHIO. Sponsors: Hilbert This Resolution was referred to the Committee of the Whole Ord. 2025-019 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE RECODIFICATION, EDITING, AND INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES AS PARTS OF THE VARIOUS COMPONENT CODES OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF GROVEPORT, OHIO Sponsors: Cleary This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole VIII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp B. Administrator - BJ King C. Chief of Police - Casey Adams D. Director of Finance - Jason Carr Finance Director Carr gave highlights from the financial report. #091-2025 Finance Director Report Attachments: Finance Director Report.pdf #092-2025 2025 Paddock Pub Analysis Memo Attachments: 2025 Paddock Pub Analysis Memo.pdf #093-2025 2025 Groveport Paddock Pub Financial Analysis Attachments: 2025 Groveport Paddock Pub Financial Analysis.pdf E. Director of Law - Kevin Shannon F. Development Director - Michael Loges City of Groveport Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes April 28, 2025 G. Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett and Jack Rupp Mr. Rupp thanked Mr. Loges for arranging a tour of a housing development in Delaware. He said he enjoyed the tour and it gave him a good perspective of what we could took forward to in Groveport. Mr. Lockett and Mayor Westcamp commented on a successful princess party at Town Hall and a great Arbor day celebration with the elementary schools. Mr. Dildine expressed his gratitude for staff for all they put into everything tonight. H. Clerk of Council - Mindy Kay I. Standing Committees IX. Other Business X. Adjournment Council Member Cleary made a motion, seconded by Council Member Hilbert to adjourn at 8:50 p.m. All in favor stated AYE, None Opposed. Motion passed. __________________________________________ Lance Westcamp, Mayor __________________________________________ Mindy Kay Clerk of Council PLEASE NOTE: THESE MINUTES ARE NOT VERBATIM. A RECORDING OF THE MEETING IS AVAILABLE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. City of Groveport Page 8